By Daily Mail Reporter

A factory has unveiled its 17,000 solar panelled plant on the day it was revealed that usage of the power has risen more than 50 per cent in three months.

The panels at Toyota's Derbyshire was switched on to harness the power of the sun through a field of panels next to its car production plant. The space they cover - 90,000 square metres - is the equivalent of four football pitches.

When working at full capacity it is hoped they will generate enough electricity to build around 7,000 cars and account for nearly four per cent of the total solar powered output created in the three months to June.

They will provide enough electricity to build 7,000 cars a year - five per cent of the output of the plant - in the £10million project

The 17,000 panels cover 90,000 square metres at Toyota's Derbyshire manufacturing plant - enough to cover four football pitches

Tony Walker, Toyota's UK deputy managing director, said: 'We wanted to improve our use of renewable sources of energy - wind power, solar power and biomass.

'Solar power was the most practical solution for us and it minimises disturbance for our neighbours. We hope to generate 4,600,000 kWh of electricity which is about five per cent of our total electrical energy usage.'

Earlier this month two of Britain's largest solar plants were connected to the power grid in Cornwall.

Conor McGuigan, head of planning at Lightsource Renewable Energy, said: 'While it's been disappointing the government has decided not to support the large-scale solar sector going forward, the solar farms developed this summer will play a critical role in the supply of green energy in the UK.

The panels will produce 4,600,000 kWh of energy - four per cent of the output that was introduced to the national grid over the last three months